Legislative & Agency Updates

May 24, 2018
— The White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs is seeking public input on how the federal government can reduce the regulatory burdens imposed on the maritime sector as part of the Trump Administration’s broad plan to deregulate American industries.

May 24, 2018
— A provision aimed at ensuring uniformity nationwide for meal-and-rest-break laws for truck drivers will stay in a House funding bill after surviving a Democratic-led effort to remove it May 23.

May 2, 2018
— The Denham-Cuellar-Costa Amendment has garnered mixed reaction from the trucking industry. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) believes the amendment will help streamline interstate commerce by federalizing hours-of-service rules, but the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) believes the amendment will rob truck drivers of needed rest breaks and rightful pay.

Apr 4, 2018
— On Monday, the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) announced that it has begun its investigation into terminal operators' and ocean carriers' practices for port demurrage, detention and free time. In its first move, FMC is ordering carriers and terminals to disclose information and documents explaining these practices.

Mar 30, 2018
— The three-month law enforcement grace period for trucks to be equipped with electronic logging devices is almost over. As of April 1, drivers caught without ELDs are due to be placed out of service for 10 hours, and may have points added to their Compliance, Safety, Accountability program scores, or could even be assessed a civil fine.

May 19, 2017
— Lawmakers will try again to give more military families flexibility in their permanent change-of-station moves with a pair of bills introduced Thursday. The Military Family Stability Act, sponsored by two Democrats and two Republicans in the House and Senate, would allow families who receive move orders to either leave up to six months before their servicemember’s assigned date to set up their new home or remain behind six months to ease the transition.

May 16, 2017
— The Airforwarders Association (AfA) in the U.S. has called on the Senate to swiftly confirm Kevin McAleenan as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) commissioner, pointing out that the appointment was critical to the safe, secure and efficient movement of cargo.

Feb 2, 2017
— After last week’s Executive Order by the U.S. on immigration and refugees there has been considerable press coverage in the US national news and overseas. Surprisingly, as of today, IAM has not received a single inquiry or question relative to the matter from one of our members. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t questions; and the closer the Association gets to launching the registration process for our 2017 Annual Meeting and Expo there undoubtedly will be questions and concerns raised that need to be addressed.

Dec 7, 2016
— IAM, along with a coalition representing retailers, manufacturers, truckers, transportation intermediaries and other business groups today asked the Federal Maritime Commission to set new policy preventing terminal operators and ocean carriers from charging unfair fees when uncontrollable incidents such as storms and strikes keep cargo from being picked up from ports on time.